By Olayinka Latona
Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, founder of Word of Life Bible Church and former President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), has revealed how he secretly battled cancer, ran up a $120,000 medical bill, and was saved partly by a personal assistant who refused to obey hospital rules.
In a video message posted on his Instagram handle and monitored by Nggossips Newspaper, the cleric said his public smile during months of private agony was a deliberate act of his faith in God and heart to help the less privileged.
He urged his congregation to remain “a pillar” to those around them, even when it is inconvenient.
He said: “It may be hard today, it is the same God that will make it softer tomorrow. It may look impossible today but it is the same God that can make it possible.”
The cleric recalled that doctors initially told him the cancer had spread and there was no hope.
He travelled to the United States, where medics said the cancer was not yet “ripe” and asked him to return in three months. Back in Nigeria, he continued his ministerial duties, dancing and helping the less-privileged, all while in constant pain.
After the church’s yearly Jubilee Celebration, he said, the pain became intense and he took the next flight to America. There, a scan brought relief that there is no cancer in his bone.
In his words: “I went to America and they said there is cancer, but not yet ripe, that I should come back in three months time.
“However, I get to Nigeria, there was jubilee and i was dancing, doing my ministerial duties, helping people, doing the best that I can do for the less privileged, but there was cancer within me. I was in pain but was laughing and smiling because it is good to be a pillar.”
Referring to essence and importance of house pillars, Pastor Oritsejafor said he had to picked next flight to America after the church yearly Jubilee Celebration because he was in intense pain.
“The doctor said he had to check if the cancers had spread to my bones. I relaxed and about an hour he came back and announced there is no cancer in my bone,” he said.
But the real test came after surgery. Pastor Oritsejafor said he spent months on medical bed. He had instructed his personal assistant, Bayo, not to accompany him to the US because he wanted to be free and “be myself.” To his surprise, Bayo paid for his own ticket.
“I thought he only escorted me to the airport,” the pastor said. “But I was glad that he did because I was all alone by myself and I spent about $120,000 for my treatment,” he revealed.
Emergency
Days after the operation, he was rushed to the emergency room with an unknown infection. Doctors said they had never seen it before and had no drug to prescribe.
He said: “The oldest physician on the team warned that reopening the wound would kill him. The doctor eventually brought two experimental antibiotics. The first did nothing. The second worked within four days.”
During that critical period, hospital rules required anyone entering his room to be fully geared up. But Bayo refused to leave his side, staying against medical instructions.
The pastor also recalled how, when a doctor gave him “licence” to eat anything he wanted – including pork – Bayo promptly reported him, and the doctor ended the pork craving.
“I was there for months. The doctor said anything that enter my mind I should eat it. That I should eat six times a day. And I told Bayo ‘This man don give me licence’. I will eat pork. But Bayo reported me to doctor and he stopped my craving for pork. And I came out stronger.
“He stayed against doctors’ instructions,” Pastor Oritsejafor said gratefully. “I was there for months.”
The clergyman used his testimony to encourage believers never to stop being a support system for others.
“Never stop being a pillar,” he admonished. “It will inconvenience you. Many times you feel like crying, tired, sometimes you may not even get answer from God, and there is a reason for that. God may not even say anything to you – just stay there with Him.”
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